The Night Preview Rocked

I’ll be frank.  The week prior to our anniversary concert entitled ‘ONE ROCK ED NATION’ saw a strange event tie-up between our alternative education NGO and a chi-chi fashion publication, Preview Magazine. This year’s Best-Dressed Ball had us, ‘hardly-dressed’ bunch splitting the guest list.  It was something else.

The event was also a book drive wherein guests were asked to donate old books as their ticket to the shindig. Rock Ed volunteer bands from Terno Recordings performed for us. Radioactive Sago Project’s high-wired poetic jazz funk rendition of  Mike Hanopol’s “Laki sa Layaw” set the tone for the rest of the night.  The haunting ambient electronica of Drip plus the cool-edged genius sound stabs of UpdharmaDown was the soundtrack of the evening. Again, there was in Indie film feel in the air.  The collective motions in the lobby looked a lot like a human oil-water experiment from top view, but it wasn’t far off from the harmony of the yin-yang image.  The differences created a consonant visual of the sea of people.  You should’ve been there.

It is always easy to appreciate the coming together of people who are similar. But more fascinating to witness-- is a gathering of people who wouldn’t ordinarily mingle with each other. Fashionistas, fashion outlaws, some artistas, NGO workers, freedom fighters, rock stars and folk singers were all there. Artists and make up experts, stylists, punks and grunge groups all huddled together in the CCP lobby. 

History will probably not remember what we all wore that night, but several hundred rural public school children will remember the stories and lessons they will learn from the books we gathered for them. Congratulations to my friend, Pauline Juan, Preview’s Editor in Chief for her openness to partner with us in this cause, her very able and smartly dressed staff, to all the volunteers of Rock Ed Philippines, our musicians and artists, to everyone who brought books, to everyone who showed up. 

One thing I learned that night, I believe now that compassion is classic.  And generosity is never out of style.  And sometimes, clichés like that have to be written down in our website.  So you will know that changes are happening in our generation.  Here and now.

Laspag man ang tishert o fashionista gumarbo —Mabuhay ang Pilipino.  Mga taga-Rock Ed at mga taga-Preview.